Roger becomes a star

Roger couldn't quite believe his meteoroic rise to fame. It was hard to take in for a humble hedgehog such as himself. One minute he was going about his normal humdrum existence - sit and wait each morning for breakfast, his house to be cleaned, his bed to be made up nice and fresh, just as he liked it, supper laid on in the evening.... in a word all his needs were met and he wanted for nothing - the next minute, without a word of warning, he was propelled into the limelight. He had always wondered what was meant by 'the limelight' and now he knew. On Wednesday November 25, 2009, he was abruptly woken from his morning slumber to find a television camera aimed directly at him. But Roger was not a hedgehog that was phased easily. He took it all in his stride and posed for the camera, taking care to always show his good side.
Having performed for the camera he went back to his bed and slept for the rest of the day. Little did he know that he had been catapulted into the stratosphere of the world of fame, and had done his bit to highlight the plight of hedgehogs in Britain today. All throughout Yorkshire people watching Look North on their televisions that evening commented on how calm and collected Roger had appeared for what was actually his debut in the world of television.
Roger had become a star!!

An uphill struggle

Joss was taken to the vet yesterday as he is losing weight and hadn't had a good night. He slept better last night, wrapped in a very cosy, soft blanket, and half on a heat pad to make sure that he didn't feel the night chill. Fingers crossed that he makes it but it isn't looking good at the moment.

ACTION: At vet yesterday: subcutaneous fluids administered; injection of Droncit for intestinal flukes; syringe-fed Esbilac milk substitute at regular intervals; started Septrin (a sulphonamide that kills protozoan infestations such as those that cause Coccidiosis) yesterday also (0.5ml once a day for 5 days) as signs of Coccidiosis infection; heat pad on day and night but able to move off it easily if he gets too hot. Hedgehogs can't sweat so it is important that he doesn't overheat.

The one that came in from the cold

That was a narrow escape thought Joss. Snatched from the streets of York on a freezing cold day with not a heat pad to be seen anywhere he arrived to a warm welcome and a nice bed. On his spindly legs he looked quite tall, as hedgehogs often do, but curled into a ball he looked tiny. Born to one of the late litters he had had a narrow escape, but he was not out of the woods yet.

ACTION: Weight on arrival(Dec 6) 241g; 1 tick removed; very thin; syringe fed esbilac, as much as he'll take (normally about 10ml 3 times a day); Day 3 (Dec 8) started on Telmin (0.5 ml once a day for 5 days) for worms; not eating any pedigree chum puppy food, just dried biscuits (Iams) and esbilac; kitchen with heat pad on day and night. Minimum recommended weight needed to survive hibernation = 600g.

Onwards and upwards

Things were looking good for Amos and Billie. After 10 days on the brilliant new regime for treating mange and ringworm their spines had stopped falling out! To be honest they still looked pretty moth-eaten and Billie, in particular, had no desire to be seen out in public at the moment. He tried to hide his bad hair under the blanket but couldn't resist scrambled egg, when it arrived warm and smelling very appetising, temporarily forgetting his bad hair and rushing out to tuck in to the feast.

At this stage they had also put lots of weight on and become a little chubby looking which could only be a good thing considering how they had started out. Amos now kicked in at 273g (52g heavier) and Billie, in the other corner, at 263g (80g heavier). To say they were feeling happier with life would be an understatement!
All their needs were met and they were still living in the kitchen, cosy and warm with an assortment of food for whenever they felt like a snack. The good times carried on...

ACTION: Continue with occasional applications of Tea Tree antiseptic cream and Neem oil to bald areas.

Not a good look!

Amos and Billie put on weight at a great rate of knots. Despite still having abscesses which needed regular attention, in the next 10 days Amos reached 221g and Billie managed 181g. Things were looking good until suddenly they started to become bald! Overnight their spines started to fall out and they assumed a very strange appearance. How could this be when they were doing so well. They became slightly depressed when they realised they weren't looking their best and hoped that help would be on hand, as indeed there was - all was not lost.....

ACTION: Vet for Ivermec injection to kill mange mites; Tea Tree antiseptic cream dripped sparingly onto bald areas to kill mange mites and ringworm (which is caused by a fungus); Neem oil also used as recommended for these skin conditions; started oral administration of Baytril (0.2ml twice a day for 7 days) to help healing of abscesses.

And then there were two..

Sadly, Callie didn't make it. The wounds he had received from the dog bite were too serious.He died in his sleep after a week, but was cosy and secure with his brothers keeping him warm either side of him.

Amos and Billie were now brothers in arms and they vowed to fight on.

ACTION: Weight: Amos = 126g, Billie = 125g; Seven-day course of Baytril finished today (0.1ml twice a day for a week); still in kitchen on heat pad; food = esbilac (milk-substitute for puppies); Cow's milk can never be given to hedgehogs as they are lactose intolerant and it makes them poorly.

A terrible day

Amos, Billie and Callie had had a really dreadful start to their day. At two o'clock in the morning a dog had come to their nest and dragged them all out. Their mother and one of their brothers had been killed by the dog and they and their sister were taken to the RSPCA in York by the person who found them the next day in their garden.
Sadly, their sister did not survive the day, leaving Amos, Billie and Callie to face the world alone. They were picked up the same day and taken to the hedgehog hospital for emergency care and treatment.

Action: Fuciderm ointment put on all bite wounds which had quickly developed into abscesses; all given esbilac which they lapped on their own; all started on a regime of Baytril (oral antibiotic)(0.1ml twice day for seven days); all given access to a heat pad. Weight: Amos = 126.2g, Billie = 135.8g, Callie = 93.2g. They were all marked using emulsion paint to distinguish them from one another. A small amount was painted on the spines in a different place on each of them.